The Scottish Greens will support the Scottish National Party’s demand for a second independence referendum, the party has confirmed.
In a press conference this morning, Scotland’s First Minister Nicola Sturgeon announced she would introduce legislation to confirm a referendum in Autumn 2018 or Spring 2019 through the Scottish Parliament. She must seek a section 30 order in order to legislate for a second referendum.
The SNP has lost its majority in Holyrood, and with 63 MSPs must rely on the support of other parties to pass the legislation.
However, the Scottish Greens have confirmed that they will do so. Co-convener Patrick Harvie said: “Our voice have been ignored by a Tory government at Westminster which we did not vote for and a feeble Labour opposition. The people of Scotland deserve a choice between Hard Brexit Britain and putting our own future in our own hands.”
Support from the six Green MSPs will bring the pro-independence faction in the Scottish Parliament up to 69, enough to command a majority, although Labour has already signalled it is unlikely to oppose a second referendum.
Sturgeon said in her speech: “I can confirm today that next week I will seek the authority of the Scottish Parliament to agree with the UK government the details of a section 30 order – the procedure that will enable the Scottish Parliament to legislate for an independence referendum.”
The Scottish Greens backed independence in the 2014 referendum, and became one of the figureheads of the alternative independence movement.
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